A bestselling American author, Sherrilyn Kenyon is well known for her fantasy and paranormal novels. Also going under the pseudonym of Kinley MacGregor, she has written a large number of popular novels and series. Focusing on the Dark-Hunter series, she has won many awards for her writing as well. Currently she lives in Nashville, Tennessee as she continues to write to this day.
Early and Personal Life
Born in Columbus, Georgia, in 1965, the author Sherrilyn Kenyon had a lifelong fascination with writing. Raised amongst eight boys with a Seargent for a father who was stationed in the army, she had an eventful childhood that informed much of her work that was to come. Now writing urban fantasy for a living, she’s successfully made this passion her career. With popularity all across the globe, she’s found a sizable audience for both her and what she loves.
Having previously written under the pseudonym ‘Kinley MacGregor’, she has produced a number of historical and paranormal novels to date. It is under both of her literary names that she has created a strong reputation for herself worldwide with an ever-expanding readership. Not only that, but she has also reached the top of the bestseller lists in many different countries as well.
Now she writes her ever popular Dark-Hunter series of novels aimed at the young-adult demographic. Not only that, but she’s also taken herself in another direction, as she’s penned a Manga comic book as well. With a diverse and varied writing career, there’s many different avenues she’s willing to explore with her work. Having gained a number of awards for her work too, Sherrilyn Kenyon now enjoys her success with her husband and children in their Nashville home.
Writing Career
With a view to writing comic books, she originally struggled to get on a number of different writing courses at college level due to her dyslexia. Unperturbed by this though, she overcame these obstacles getting herself the education she needed, along with with some editorial experience. After gaining her degree, she went onto gain more experience writing for magazines, before taking the final step of getting her novel published.
Her first novel was ‘Born of Night’, which she sold quite promptly along with collecting a number of awards for it as well. Making the bestseller lists, she was successfully publishing her work reaching six novels in total. It was then that she hit an obstacle as she was unable to find a willing publisher for any further work of hers. Following on from this she suffered a number of personal setbacks in her home-life, which ultimately held her writing career back as she struggled to provide for her family. After some more rejections she finally started to get some work published once again under the pseudonym of Kinley MacGregor, with some historically themed novels.
Soon though she was to find her true success with what she was to become most famous for; her Dark-Hunter series of novels. Securing her name once again she was back with her strongest franchise yet, in the form of a series of bestselling novels that continue to attract readers from all across the world. She also shows no signs of stopping anytime soon either, as she will carry on writing this much beloved series into the foreseeable future.
Born of Night
This is the first of ‘The League’ series comprised of around seven in total so far, with three more expected on the way. It’s also the debut novel of Sherrilyn Kenyon that first introduced her to the world of publishing since it was first released in 1996. With it, Kenyon introduces her protagonist Nykyrian Quikiades the Command Assassin into the world of the Ichidian Universe that makes up this series of novels. Turning his back on the league, a group of assassins especially trained by the government, he is now hunted by them as he’s constantly on the run. It is then that he’s entrusted with the protection of Kiara Zamir, the daughter of a man whose political alliance has endangered her.
Whilst the mother of Kiara was killed by someone not unlike Nykyrian, she finds that she must place her trust in him if she is to remain alive, something which she has difficulty with at first. The same goes for Nykyrian, as he must also place his trust in another, something which was usually reserved only for himself. Will they overcome their differences and form a relationship based on a mutual sense of trust? Can Nykyrian outwit the league and remain on the run whilst keeping out of harm’s way? What is to become of Kiara and will she safely be protected by the one who is ‘born of night’?
Dance With the Devil
The third of the ever popular Dark-Hunter series, this novel was first released in 2003 by Sherrilyn Kenyon as it makes up part of the ongoing saga that she’s successfully maintained to this day. In it is the character of Zarek, a Dark-Hunter who embraces his insanity, whilst enjoying every second of it. Unable to trust anyone, even himself, he relies on his inability to always do the wrong thing and harm those who obstruct him. After spending a full lifetime as a Roman slave, he has now been exiled as a Dark-Hunter for over nine-hundred years. This is something he has grown wary of though, as he’s always simply endured struggling from one day to the next. He now feels it’s time for the truth behind his being exiled, as he feels he really has nothing to lose.
Stepping up is Astrid, a woman of extreme exceptionalism with the ability to see the truth in any given situation. What she offers is a beacon of hope to Zarek, as she aims to shed some light on what actually happened on the night of the exile. This provides Zarek with the strength he needs to undertake his quest to redeem himself and to also love and be loved. Will they form a bond between the pair of them? Can Zarek regain his once thought to be lost humanity? Just what did happen that night he was exiled and what exactly is the truth behind it all?
Books in order of publication:
Order of League Books
| Born of Night | (1996) | |
| Born of Fire | (2009) | |
| Born of Ice | (1994) | |
| In Other Worlds (Anthology) | (2001) | |
| Born of Shadows | (2010) | |
| Born of Silence | (2012) | |
| Cloak & Silence | (2013) | |
| Born of Fury | (2013) | |
| Born of Defiance | (2015) | |
| Born of Betrayal | (2015) | |
| Born of Legend | (2016) | |
| Born of Vengeance | (2017) | |
| Born of Blood | (2018) |
League Books
| Born of Ice / Paradise City | (1994) | |
| Born of Night | (1996) | |
| In Other Worlds (Anthology) | (2001) | |
| Born of Fire | (2009) | |
| Born of Shadows | (2010) | |
| Born of Silence | (2012) | |
| Cloak & Silence | (2013) | |
| Born of Fury | (2013) | |
| Born of Defiance | (2015) | |
| Born of Betrayal | (2015) | |
| Born of Legend | (2016) | |
| Born of Vengeance | (2017) | |
| Born of Rage | (2019) | |
| Born of Blood | (2018) | |
| Born of Trouble | (2018) |
Angel’s Touch Books
| Daemon’s Angel | (1995) |
Sea Wolves Books
| A Pirate of Her Own | (1999) | |
| Master of Seduction | (2000) |
Chronological order of Sea Wolves Books
| Master of Seduction | (2000) | |
| A Pirate of Her Own | (1999) |
MacAllisters Books
| Master of Desire | (2001) | |
| Claiming the Highlander | (2002) | |
| Born in Sin | (2003) | |
| Taming the Scotsman | (2003) |
Dark-Hunter Books
| Dragonswan | (2002) | |
| Fantasy Lover | (2002) | |
| Night Pleasures | (2002) | |
| Night Embrace | (2003) | |
| Dance with the Devil | (2003) | |
| Phantom Lover | (2003) | |
| Kiss of the Night | (2004) | |
| Night Play | (2004) | |
| Seize the Night | (2004) | |
| Sins of the Night | (2005) | |
| Unleash the Night | (2005) | |
| Dark Side of the Moon | (2006) | |
| The Dream-Hunter | (2007) | |
| Upon the Midnight Clear | (2007) | |
| Devil May Cry | (2007) | |
| Dream Chaser | (2008) | |
| Acheron | (2008) | |
| One Silent Night | (2008) | |
| Dream Warrior | (2009) | |
| Bad Moon Rising | (2009) | |
| No Mercy | (2010) | |
| Retribution | (2011) | |
| The Guardian | (2011) | |
| Time Untime | (2012) | |
| Styxx | (2013) | |
| Son of No One | (2014) | |
| Dragonbane | (2015) | |
| Dragonmark | (2016) | |
| Dragonsworn | (2017) | |
| Stygian | (2018) |
Dark-Hunter Collections
| Dark Bites | (2014) |
De Piaget Books
| Tapestry | (2002) |
Brotherhood Of The Sword Books
| A Dark Champion | (2004) | |
| Return of the Warrior | (2005) | |
| The Warrior | (2007) |
B.A.D. Books
| Bad Attitude | (2005) | |
| Phantom in the Night | (2007) | |
| Whispered Lies | (2009) | |
| Silent Truth | (2010) |
B.A.D. Collections Books
| Born To Be B.A.D. | (2005) |
Lords Of Avalon Books
| Sword of Darkness | (2006) | |
| Knight of Darkness | (2006) |
Chronicles Of Nick Books
| Infinity | (2010) | |
| Invincible | (2011) | |
| Infamous | (2012) | |
| Inferno | (2013) | |
| Illusion | (2014) | |
| Instinct | (2015) | |
| Invision | (2016) | |
| Intensity | (2017) |
Chronicles Of Nick Graphic Novels
| The Dark-Hunters: Infinity, Vol. 1 | (2013) | |
| The Dark-Hunters: Infinity, Vol. 2 | (2013) |
Belador Code Books
| Blood Trinity | (2010) | |
| Alterant | (2011) | |
| The Curse | (2012) | |
| The Rise of the Gryphon | (2013) |
Dark-Hunter: Deadman’s Cross Trilogy Books
| Deadmen Walking | (2017) | |
| Death Doesn’t Bargain | (2018) | |
| At Death’s Door | (2019) |
Dark-Hunter: Lords Of Avalon Books
| The Wager | (2017) |
Nevermore Books
| Insurrection | (2017) |
Silent Swans Books
| Swan of Fire | (2018) |
Short Story Collections
| Midnight Pleasures | (2003) | |
| Man of My Dreams | (2004) | |
| My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding | (2006) | |
| Playing Easy to Get | (2006) | |
| Blood Lite | (2008) |
Picture Books
| The Simi’s ABCs: Adventures with Dark-Hunters | (2017) |
Non-Fiction Books
| The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Source book | (1994) | |
| The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages | (1995) |
Oak Lawn Library Friends 